


New promises

by dreamerbydawn



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Len really cares, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Upset Barry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 04:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5815096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerbydawn/pseuds/dreamerbydawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Have you made mistakes? Sure. Is the Flash a pain in my ass? Definitely. But would I have it any other way? No. Because whether you realize it or not, you’re important kid”</p>
<p> Those words are the most sincere Len’s ever been in his life, and he’d be embarrassed, if he didn’t suddenly have an armful of the speedster.</p>
<p> OR</p>
<p> Captain Cold disapproves of Barry's new plan to deal with Zoom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New promises

 

 Captain Cold wants to say, that the most shocking part of answering a knock on his door late in the evening, was seeing the Flash standing on the other side; but unfortunately, that’s not true.

 In fact, Leonard Snart doesn’t even think of why Barry would be there; his mind skipping right on ahead to how terrible the kid looked at the moment.

 There were dark circles under his eyes and a sag in his shoulders that hadn't been there before. Of course, everyone knows that Barry Allen always wore his heart on his sleeve, but this exhaustion and obvious misery– this was his very soul. And the fact that the kid had such a world weary soul shocked him more than anything else.

 It’s what prompted him to wordlessly open the door wider, and when the kid simply stared, yank Barry in by his jacket. Len put his cold gun away and locked the door behind a still silent Barry, glad when the speedster trailed after him like a lost puppy without making Len drag him along.

 Once they were safely within the semi-furnished living room of safe house #3, Len turned to properly study the younger man, eyes taking in every last detail. It was odd that Barry remained so still under his scrutiny, that boundless energy that kept him fidgeting, completely absent.

 “You want to sit kid?” Len asked, seeming to startle Barry out of his thoughts.

 There was a moment of surprise, like Scarlet hadn’t realized where he was, but the expression was fleeting and replaced by wide hazel green eyes settling on Len with a searching look.

 “Barry” He prompted again, not one to ask stupid questions about if the kid was alright, when he so clearly wasn’t; but wanting to know what was wrong all the same.

 “I’m a liar” Barry whispers, throat scratchy like he had just spent hours crying – which under the circumstances, Len supposed was probably true.

 Still, he reigns in his surprise and arches an eyebrow, simply waiting for the other man to explain.

 “I’m a lying liar who lies. The Flash is a lie” Barry says, clearer, but also more frantic. As though he was expecting Len to simply nod along and agree to the statement, while worrying that he wouldn’t.

 For his part, Len didn’t know what to make of the sentence. The Flash was a lie? What did that even mean?

 He was tempted to scoff, immediately disagree with such an atrocious statement, but dampened the urge, and instead asked “Why?”

 His question seemed to surprise Barry as well, the kid taking a minute to once again, simply stare blankly at Len before he starts sniffling.

 “Because – Everything – Snart, all of it – I didn’t -” The words choke Barry, and there are actual tears that horrify Len to the point where he wants to reach out.

 His hesitation only lasts a moment, right until Barry Allen simply falls to his knees in front of him; and then Len is there with him, hands suddenly gripping each of Barry’s bicep.

 “I’m not a hero” Barry confesses and Len’s never heard anything farther from the truth. But he can see that in that moment, Barry honestly believes it.

 “Scarlet, talk to me” He urges then, worry etching itself on him.

 “I didn’t defeat the reverse flash, Eddie did. I didn’t stop the singularity, that was Ronnie. I locked up people in pipelines and broke the world trying to go back in time and save my mom, but came back without doing that either. Now Zoom is here and I’m not fast enough to do anything, and he’s going to kill everyone I care about, but I’m too scared to face him and let him kill me before he has the chance to hurt anyone else.”

 Len knows he’s supposed to try dissect all the information that Barry just threw his way, but his mind seems to have latched on to the part where the kid thought it was a better idea to get himself killed.

 “You can’t mean that” He says, voice coming out pleading, while Barry hangs his head in shame.

 “Barry, Zoom wants to kill you. You’ll be an idiot to not be scared of that monster.” Len tries to say next, not understanding why Barry was blaming himself for having survival instincts – which thank god, he has or he would charge Zoom head first again, and then Len would have to watch him be paraded around like a broken rag doll by the other speedster _again_. That was plenty scary the first time.

 “He’s going to hurt other people. Innocent people” Barry sobs, and Len wants to smack him.

 “You’re innocent too Barry.” He argues because it’s the truth. The Flash is just a kid with a heart of gold.

 “Zoom is here because of me” Barry counters through his tears.

 “He is here _for_ you” Len corrects because this is not Barry’s responsibility. Saving the world is not Barry’s responsibility. “All the people that die, everyone that gets hurt, that’s on Zoom, not you”

 “No, no. It’s on me. That’s why this is the only way” Barry tells him softly, the words instantly causing his insides to twist into knots. 

 “What’s the only way kid?” Len questions, watching as Barry flops back to sit on Len’s floor, defeat clear in his countenance.

 “This” Barry begins softly, waving a hand in the air to gesture at them, the tears slowing but still rolling down his cheek. 

 Everything in Len wants to reach out and wipe them away, but he has a feeling that whatever Barry was preparing himself to say was going to be more heartbreaking than a tear streaked Flash.

 “You handing me over to Zoom. It’s the only way to save Central City from him” Barry shrugs, trying to sound nonchalant and missing by a mile.

 “And what on earth makes you think I’ll do it?” Len asks, because he was right. This was worse – so much worse.

 “You get rid of the Flash and keep the city you care about from being destroyed by Zoom. It’s kind of a win-win for you” Barry sounds resigned, like Len being his executioner was completely acceptable.

 And he wants to be angry. He truly does. He wants to get his gun and ice the kid right where he was sitting, and leave him there to think about this stupid plan of his again. At the very least, he wants to smack some sense into him.

 Instead, he’s only heartbroken. And not even in the way he was when he couldn’t protect Lisa from Lewis, but in a way that’s threatening to claw his heart into shreds.

 “Barry –“ He tries, but his voice seems to catch in his throat.

 “You could stick to our deal though, if you feel bad about this. You could still try to keep from killing people during your heists?” Barry asks, aiming for a redirection and also failing.

 “I’m not handing you over to Zoom” Len finally snaps, because they weren’t renegotiating their deal – they didn’t have to. The Flash wasn’t going to die. Len certainly wasn’t going to have a hand in it.

 “Did you miss the part where I said it’s the only way?” Barry asks, also sounding frustrated. And when Len crosses his arms against his chest to give the kid a frosty glare, Barry’s anger seems to spike.

 “Do you think it’s easy for me? To sit here and think about – Zoom destroyed me once – I’m not exactly eager for round two but people are dying! You may not care about that sort of thing Snart, but I do!”

 Barry was on his feet now, fists clenched and lightning sparking in his eyes as he glared at Len, who took his time rising to his feet, tamping down on his own anger as he did.

 “Let’s get something cleared Scarlet. You jumping into the sacrificial fire – not happening. I don’t care if it’s the only way to stop Zoom or the Armageddon itself, it’s not happening”

 The icy words seem to have filtered into Barry’s mind and the kid looks at him with pure disbelief; As though the idea that Len would refuse had not even occurred to him.

 “Fine, you come up with something then” Barry huffs, mirroring Len’s pose and crossing his arms against his chest – although on Barry that makes him look like a pouting five year old.

 “I will” Len promises, knowing already that he’ll do whatever it takes to help figure out a way to stop Zoom if that’s the only way he’s going to keep Barry safe.

 Once again, Barry seems taken aback. His surprise clear as he says “You’re actually serious”

 “Of course I am. We’ll find a way” Len gives his word again, relaxing now that Barry doesn’t seem suicidal anymore.

 “I – you care. I’m actually glad about that. Knowing I was right about something.” Barry's lips twitch into a half smile; and Len is tempted to roll his eyes, never been more glad to receive the mandatory ‘ _there’s good in you_ ’ speech that was always reserved for their meetings.

 His good mood however, lasts for all of five seconds, before Barry sighs and sadly tells him “I’m touched, but I meant it. There really is no other way Snart.”

 “And here I thought you said, and I quote ‘ _there’s always another way_ ’ unquote” Len drawls, not at all repentant about throwing the kid’s words back at him.

 “Not this time” Barry says and again Len barely keeps from rolling his eyes.

 “That’s what I say before icing someone Scarlet. That line doesn’t fly for heroes” He can see Barry’s protest already on his lips but preempts him.

 “Shut up and listen. You are a hero. The Flash ran up into the singularity and fought the reverse Flash. I don’t care for the itty gritty details of what happened. You rebuild the city at night.  From the first day you got your powers, you’ve run around for hours trying to help absolutely anyone. You’re here willing to give up your life, if it means the city is safe.  So I’m telling you again – The Flash is a hero”

 Barry is blinking at him and Len feels like he’s given an adequate amount of justification, that he can safely stop now. But for some reason, he’s on a roll now and can’t seem to keep himself from continuing.

 “Have you made mistakes? Sure. Is the Flash a pain in my ass? Definitely. But would I have it any other way? No. Because whether you realize it or not, you’re important kid”

 Those words are the most sincere he’s ever been in his life, and he’d be embarrassed if he didn’t suddenly have an armful of the speedster.

 Barry doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that Len was too shocked to hug him back, or that their faces were inches apart when the kid pulls back to speak.

 “Thank you, that’s – no one’s ever said anything like that to me. Really, that’s – thanks”

 The warm smile Barry gives him, along with the breath ghosting against his lips, make his brain go offline as he leans forward to kiss the younger man.

 It only takes a moment for Barry to respond though and Len decides that, yeah, maybe they’ve done enough talking for one night – they could deal with Zoom tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> So, one busy month later, i'm back to writing again. 
> 
> And this time, i'm thinking of taking a few ColdFlash prompts!! If you have any, please leave them in the comment section! Fair warning though, i'm not that great at AU's (not saying I won't try!) 
> 
> If not, well, comments/kudos are still very much appreciated xx


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